Visitors sample a variety of wines from several vintners at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Visitors sample a variety of wines from several vintners at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

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Wines from several vintners are displayed at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Wines from several vintners are displayed at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Image 3 of 4

Visitors sample a variety of wines from several vintners at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Visitors sample a variety of wines from several vintners at the Grange Sonoma tasting room in Sonoma, Calif., on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Image 4 of 4

Grange Sonoma a nice wine tasting co-op

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There's still no street sign for Grange Sonoma, the nearly 2-year-old co-op tasting room on Arnold Drive and Highway 121 in the Carneros region of south Sonoma. But you know you've arrived when you see two 11-foot-high Adirondack chairs and the dead Monterey pine tree skeleton decked with 70,000 sky-blue Christmas balls.

That's because Grange is housed within Cornerstone Sonoma, a 9-acre collection of high-end "concept gardens" strewn with inventive sculptures and art displays nestled among boutique shops, a cafe and two other wine tasting rooms.

Occupying a modern tin building with a roll-up door and chandeliers that resemble stacked marshmallows, the spare, industrial-chic Grange feels a bit like an art studio. Its collection, though, is drinkable, emphasizing small-lot Sonoma wines, many of which can't be tasted or purchased elsewhere, from seven boutique wineries: Arnot-Roberts, Derbès, Dutch Bill Creek, Eno, Harrington, Heintz and Mantra.

The vibe: On a warm summer day, a gaggle of young women, recent college graduates from Los Angeles, lounged at the long, glass-topped wood bar, lifting glasses in wry toasts "to unemployment." As reggae-funk music played in the background, one of their crew sprawled on a cozy leather couch, her feet resting on a table holding a basket of heritage chicken eggs.

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There's an artistic bent to the souvenirs, too - no T-shirts, but minimalist displays of brick-shaped "plates" made out of sea salt, bags of FunkyChunky popcorn, environmentally conscious glass coasters and candles.

The team: Grange was founded by Sonoma-Napa natives John Green and Heather Kirlin. Green, with a 15-year career in wine sales, acts as general manager and host. Kirlin, a lawyer in San Francisco, was raised on her parents' Napa winery and periodically hosts at the bar.

The wines: Tastings, which typically feature five to seven wines from co-op participants, cost $10, which is refunded with purchase. On our visit, Green was pouring five wines, but added in a special Mantra Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, released a week earlier.

The other wines included a Mantra Sauvignon Blanc, a Harrington Rosé, a Heintz Pinot Noir, a Mantra Syrah and a Mantra Zinfandel from a vineyard established in 1890. Additional wines sold here may be tasted as available. If your favorite isn't on the tasting list, just ask.

The experience: Green, often behind the bar, is a treasure trove of knowledge and chat skills. Not just about the wines, but all of Sonoma County(Cloverdale is tiny, he told a group of visitors. "Rule of thumb - anything called 'dale' here is tiny," he said, going on to explain the history of the old mill town).

The extras: It's set in an enclave of unusual shops carrying items you never knew you needed until you see them. If you've been scouring near and far for a Bigfoot gun target or a hippo skull from Africa (just $3,950), they're right next door. Rumbling stomachs can be quelled at Sage Fine Food & Provisions a few steps away, serving up artisan sandwiches, salads, soups and sweets made from local, organic and sustainable ingredients.

This would be an excellent place for a party, too, as Grange also hosts private tastings for up to 20 people by appointment.